Can any Patient Care Techs tell me how much your training cost?

Published

I have a friend who went down to a tech school inquiring about enrolling in their Patient tech Course. She was planning on paying out of pocket and estimated she would spend 1-2 thousand; it turns out the school charges 9 grand. I think that is a little outrageous. Regardless of how these schools hawk it, a PCT is probably going to wind up working as CNA's in an LTC facility right out of school for about a year because hospitals tend not to hire without experience. I've heard tons of PCT's complain about their inability to land jobs in hospitals straight out of school so I know what the deal is there. My friend, being a single mother, is going to be hard pressed to pay back a $9000 student loan working as a CNA for a year. And even when she does get a job in a hospital I am still not sure the pay would be worth the cost of her loan. So I post this question in order to find out from other PCT's who paid for training if 9 grand really is the average cost for the course.

Specializes in Med/Surg/Pedi/Tele.

whoa! I'm a CNA II at a hospital and I went to a state college and paid $700 for mine.. Plus the license fee for the state.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Utilization Management.

I took a four week CNA course, paid $500, and my first job was in a hospital in a PCT position. Anything extra I needed to learn was taught to me on the job. Definitely no need to spend that kind of money on a program when an employer will train you on the job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We went to the school today and I did politely ask the admissions rep about the high cost of training. According to her, PCT's who graduate for their program are also certified to work as Phlebotomists or EKG/Monitor Techs. So they figure that while they are only training students to be PCT's, those same students can look for jobs in additional fields.

But I was looking at the website for a local community college and unless I was reading it wrong their RN program is only $6000? That's a grand less than I paid a few years ago for a medical billing course I took at a tech school - and I was never able to find a job as medical biller when I finished. An RN has at least an equal chance of finding a job as a someone triple trained to work as a PCT/EKG tech/Phlebotomist.

Also, the PCT program at the Tech school my friend is looking into is 8 months long. For a few extra months of training she could become an LPN. AN LPN has at least an equal chance of finding a job as someone triple trained to work as a PCT/EKG tech/Phlebotomist. And they earn more money.

Those were just my thoughts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow. 8 months long. My PCT class with the CNA combined is at most 8 weeks long. They teach the CNA for four weeks, then the PCT for the next four. I don't know why the school makes themselves seem like they are the only ones offering EKG and Phlebotomy because ALL PCT courses do. AT least here in NY they do. Its still a rip off. Shop around and see what else you can find. Put in "PCT course in (your state)" in the search bar and you should come up with other options.

What does your friend think of all this. Does she see red flags or is she really considering this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

She went to meet with the admissions rep because we both were curious, but even before going decided the program was too much for her. An $9000 loan to be trained in a field where she'll probably start out earning $8-$12 an hour is too much of an obligation for her given her other responsibilities. So she's pretty much decided to take a regular CNA course - much cheaper and she'll wind up being trained and hopefully gainfully employed sooner.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ok she should get a job at a nursing home and get the CNA course paid for by the LTC. then at least she can be making money while getting cert. ekg course is i think $300 here in TX and the phleb course is $500. i went through the college course and ended up paying about $600 all together for my CNA that include all my shots and book. i am gonna take the phleb course and since i already have my shots i dont have to worry about that, the course is $390 + book $115. so in all if she were to take everything seperate it could be as much as $1500? if she gets the cna paid for then as little as $800? so yeah $9000 is WAAAAAAYYYYYY TOOOOOOO MUUUUUUCH!!! my lil sister got into the nursing program and it will cost her $8000, so your friend might as well go for her lvn!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am not sure how this works, if it goes by region or what, I am new to this posting. I am in Central Ohio. I went to My Tees on Cleveland Ave and it was a three week every day course for $400. They were very very thorough. It was better for me to suck it up and go every night from 530-930 than a quarter of one night a week, or two max.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hope your friend steered clear of this program. I'm in Central Florida and enrolled in a nursing/tech school to be trained as a PCT. The price was $8000, but I signed up thinking that I would get 4 job options rather than just CNA. The tech school only provided two of the 4. The EKG and Phlebotomy portion is a joke. The education director told me and my class that EKG and Phlebotomy are not required for PCT work. Its a long story and I've been battling these people since day one! If I knew then what I know now, I never would've signed up.

Tell your friend to take a CNA course, do her time as a CNA then apply at a hospital. When she's hired, they'll train her for free for PCT. I'm graduating in two weeks and my diploma won't be worth the paper its printed on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree, that's a joke to spend that much money. Like I said, I spent $400 on my class to get my STNA (CNA) license, plus the state testing fees, and I have been an aide for six months and I start at a hospital on Monday in the ER. It's not easy here in Ohio to get in with a hospital but if you keep applying you will get it. Still better than spending all that money. And if you really find you can't get in, the only thing worth taking would be a phlebotomy class at a community college or something.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I hope your friend steered clear of this program. I'm in Central Florida and enrolled in a nursing/tech school to be trained as a PCT. The price was $8000, but I signed up thinking that I would get 4 job options rather than just CNA. The tech school only provided two of the 4. The EKG and Phlebotomy portion is a joke. The education director told me and my class that EKG and Phlebotomy are not required for PCT work. Its a long story and I've been battling these people since day one! If I knew then what I know now, I never would've signed up.

Tell your friend to take a CNA course, do her time as a CNA then apply at a hospital. When she's hired, they'll train her for free for PCT. I'm graduating in two weeks and my diploma won't be worth the paper its printed on.

Yes, we both decided not to get involved with this school both because of the cost and because the school (Everest) seems to have a very bad reputation. I recently spoke to someone who went through their Patient Tech course and she told me she had to withdraw because the teacher didn't seem to know what she was doing. So not going there seems to have been a good choice all around.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele/Critical Care.

Yes, that it outrages!! My best friend finished her CNA course in Illinois, and paid $650. Now she got hired at a hospital as a PCT, and they trained her with the EKG, and Phelebotomy. The school that she took her CNA class in, offered a PCT training for $4500!!! No, it is not worth paying for the PCT. All you need is a CNA certification or an EMT and the hospital will train you for the rest! Don't waste your money!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion